Someone Who Cares
by N.D. Stark
Summary: (Used to be called Spirit of the Spider) Clint and Natasha hadn't been married long. They had never planned on having kids. But when they save two teens from an alley on their date night, they are all drawn together into a small adoptive family. (Spider Family Legolas) Cannon Pairings, OC, Lizard, TASM Universe, sorry no Gwen till way later. Love R&R!
1. Chapt 1: Down by the Harbor

**This was inspired by Finding Foundations: Family a bit, so some credit for a bit of the story line goes to CaseClosed621. I tweaked it a bit... ok a lot. Here is some back ground info;**

**Peter has a younger sister named Elli, who has grown up with him for as long as he can remember. Now that he is 17, she is 14, and is the only other person other than himself that knows he is Spider-Man. He knows her secrets too. Elizabeth helped get him into the Oscorp building, and accompanied him via air vents. She too was bitten by a spider but in the very room. Elizabeth possessed similar powers to Peter for a while, and she discovered them not long after Peter became Spider-Man. He has been training her as his side kick, under the name of Spider-Woman. Connors has escaped from his prison and is relentlessly chasing them, and has already killed any relatives they could have possibly lived in safety with. Now they are scraping up a life on the streets, trying to survive and not get caught by the Lizard, as well as the public eye. **

* * *

I clambered down from our dockside shelter. Yeah, I climbed _down_. Me and Peter live on a roof. Not like a pent house, but a full on, rusted, warehouse roof. Yeah, not the shabbiest place to live, but it does the job. And there is a wonderful view of the harbor, even if the wind coming of the ocean makes us cold sometimes. But it's pretty well hidden, with all the boards and scraps and plants covering it. We even have a sleeping bag. By the way, I'm Elli. Er... Spider-Man's amazing side kick. And _STILL _training. I know, boring right? Alright, enough introductions.

I sat patiently on the lower roof, swinging my legs over the edge. I was bored, because Pete wasn't taking me on this mission, and he knew I had _really_ wanted to go. And he was sick. And I was very pissed he want heroing while he was sick, without me. I could hear the sirens from a mile away, and all that did was make me want to go more. But he kept telling me not to, because he was Spider-Man. After what seemed like forever, I finally spotted him swinging back towards base. A smile grew on my face. It disappeared when he collapsed on the roof, breathing heavily.

"Pete!" I screeched, racing over to the spat where he collapsed.

"Hey E." He stuttered, trying to lighten the mood.

I ignored it." I _told _you _not_ to go fight crime while you where _SICK!"_ I scolded.

He tried to make an excuse, but he was terrible at it.

"I'm going to get medicine." I said, walking away before he could object.

I stumbled down the stair case quickly, double checking to make sure I still had the money in my pocket. I turned left at the first stop light, making a beeline for the pharmacy before it closed. I managed to get there just before it closed to get the medicine. I sighed in relief when I left, the bag dangling loosely from my hand as I rushed back, hardly even stopping for the cars. I finally arrived back at our roof, but Peter wasn't there.

"Peter!" I shouted, fear rising in my voice. "Peter! Where are you?"

A muffled cry answered my shouts.

"Peter!" I screamed, running towards the sound.

I found him being thugged in an alley (thankfully in his normal clothes), too weak to fight back.

"Peter!"

The two men turned towards me, and it was almost obvious they where working for Connors. Scales raced along their necks and hands, and they each carried syringes. I had no clue what was in them, but I wasn't willing to find out.

"Get away from him!" I shouted, trying to stand my ground.

"Run E." Peter croaked, sickness clearly not allowing him to help.

"Come here little spider..." One of the men chided.

"What's going on here?"

I turned around in shock to find a man and woman, standing behind me.

"GO! NOW!" Peter shouted at me, and I ran. I ran for my life.

* * *

Natasha and Clint had finished eating dinner at the edge of town, at one of the sea food diners. They were having a great date night, and decided to end it with a stroll by the harbor.

"It sure is a nice night." Clint said, looking at Natasha, who was gazing over the star lit water.

"You're right." Natasha answered, pressing a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for taking me out."

Clint smiled, taking his hand in hers. He jumped when he saw a girl running in front of them, a bag from the nearby pharmacy banging at her legs. Natasha and Clint watched her with interest. She dashed into the shadows, her line barely visible. Clint glanced at Natasha when the girl started to carefully climb the bare wall, like they had seen Spider-Man do before.

She disappeared through a hole in the roof, leaving no traces behind. Clint jumped when he heard a voice yelling.

"Peter! Peter! Where are you?"

Fear and worry where easily heard echoing through the young voice. Natasha turned to Clint when she heard the cry in response.

"Date night is over." She said, quickly drawing the gun she had in her back pocket.

Clint nodded as the girl jumped from the roof, not trying to conceal her strange powers. Clint drew his collapsible bow out of the pack on his back. The two assassins tailed the girl, who expertly ran through the maze of alleys and streets. Finally the girl stopped outside a narrow alley.

"Peter!" She cried.

The two men turned towards her, the boy; apparently Peter, told her to go. He was obviously very sick, explaining the pharmacy bag a the girl's side.

"Come here little spider..." One of the men beckoned.

Then Clint decided it was enough. "What's going on here?" Clint asked forcefully, aiming his bow at the man closest to the boy named Peter.

"GO! NOW!" He yelled at the girl, who took of, stopping once to look back in regret.

"Leave this to us Legolas." One of the men snarled, lowering a syringe to Peter.

"Only Tony calls me Legolas." Clint growled back, answering him with an arrow in his throat.

The other man started to run, but Clint shot him three times before he collapsed. He turned to Peter, who had been trying to stand.

"You need help." Clint said, offering his hand.

"No I don't." He answered, struggling to his feet.

Clint sighed. "Yes you do. Your sick."

"Leave me alone."

Clint sighed again, turning and pressing on the ear comn.

"We got something Tony."

"Oh there you are! I thought you were screwing around with Natasha!..."

"Put a lid on it Stark."

"Fine Robin Hood, what is it."

"Spider-Man I think... or a Spider-Girl and an orphan. One of them is sick. Very sick."

"How do you know it's Spider-Man?"

"One of the kids climbed a wall onto a roof with nothing but their hands."

"Oh."

"Yeah, we're bringing them to the tower."

Clint turned to the kid, who's eyes where wide with panic. Clint could tell he was dizzy and was on the verge of throwing up.

"Hold tight kid." Clint said, picking him up.

* * *

Natasha followed the girl to the warehouse. It took her a while to figure out how to get up there, but when she did she found the kid crying the lower roof.

"Hello?" Natasha called.

The girl looked up adruptedly, and took of towards the rafters. Natasha sighed, quickly scaling down. The girl had wedged herself in a small space between two rafters near the ceiling, but still close enough to the roof to get off.

"I won't hurt you..." Natasha said, trying to get her to come closer.

"How can I believe you." The girl answered, but it was more of a statement than a question.

"I don't want to hurt you. I want you to be safe. I want to help you." Natasha said again.

"Your just going to take me and do tests on me aren't you?"

Natasha looked at her confused.

"I wouldn't do that. I was taken away when I was little to a place called the Red Room. They made me do things I didn't want. I know how it feels." She said, closing her eyes to try and banish her memories.

"You promise?"

Natasha looked up, surprised. The girl was right in front of her now.

"Promise on my life."

"On your life?" She pondered. "That's a hard promise to break."

Natasha studied the girl, who couldn't have been any older than 14. Her hair was long and matted done up in a messy braid. She wore black winter boots, jeans, and a large baggy T-shirt, the print too faded to read. Around her waist a red sweat shirt was tied.

"It will. That's why I promised." Natasha answered, already dreading when she couldn't keep it.

"Where is Peter?" The girl asked suddenly, her voice again brimming with fear and worry.

"My friend has him. He's going to make him better. We can take you to him."

"The man with the arrows?" The girl asked, still untrusting.

"That's Clint. We made sure he was safe before coming after you. I would trust Clint with my life."

"Ok. Take me then."

They got of the roof, the girl quickly scaling down with her bare hands.

"What's your name?" Natasha asked once they had got down and where walking to the car.

"Elli. Pete calls me E. I guess if I had any friends they would call me that too."

"Alright then E." Natasha said, earning a glance of thanks from Elli. "Let's get you home."


	2. Chapt 2: I Just Wanna Be Ok

**Hi guys! Hoping you liked that last chapter! I love reviews and ideas for other stories, so please do that. (you don't have to!) Im sorry ifs I made ya'll cry in the last chapter. I like sad stories, so shame on me. I will try to update twice a week or more! Yay! Anywho, let's get on with it.**

* * *

Elli gaped at he huge tower. She had always seen it from a distance, and had never really cared much about it, much less even dreamed of even coming so far into the city. Peter had warned her about strangers, but these people... it was easy to trust them. She had been very relieved when she saw Peter in Clint's arms. Elli had gaped at the large rooms and how clean everything was. She glanced down at her own dirty clothing. She shook of the thought of getting an actual shower, and continued to walk closely to Natasha's side. So far, Natasha was the only person in the whole tower she even _slightly_ trusted. Clint was ok, and so far; they hadn't been cuffed or locked in a room or anything, so Elli wasn't as uncomfortable as she usually was around strangers.

"Is he gonna be ok?" She asked, anxiousness clearly filling he mind.

"We have a great doctor here, I think he'll be ok." Natasha answered, glancing at Peter, who had promptly fallen asleep in Clint's arms.

_'Poor kid.'_ Natasha thought. _'Probably been fighting it for a while now.'_

It wasn't long before they arrived at the top floor, which Elli could not stop gaping at. She was awe stricken with how modern and clean it was.

"You live here?" She asked incuriously, all untrustfulness forgotten.

"Sure do."

Another voice chimed in, causing Elli to jump. Natasha turned to see Tony, who was smirking.

"These are the Spiders?" Tony asked sarcastically. Natasha shot him an angry glare as Elli bolted behind her. Tony tried to look innocent, but utterly failed.

Tony caught sight of Peter, he immediately left the room, muttering something about doctors. Clint set Peter on the couch, where Elli sat down next to him, refusing to move.

"How come you guys where out there?" Clint asked innocently.

Natasha could see the walls go up behind the girls eyes.

"You can tell us. Don't worry." Natasha said, putting a hand on her dirty shoulder.

Elli looked at Natasha, clearly suffering self pity.

"I was seven. The Lizard came and... just took away everything. Peter hid me and we just lived of the streets I guess. I don't remember much. We are always on the run. We never stay more than two days in one place. One day we found out about our parents and he wanted to go find out more, and so I helped him get into the Oscorp building and find out some things. He went into this room, and he accidently pushed something, and..."

She stopped, raising the hair over her ear to reveal an ugly lump.

"I got bitten."

"Did Peter get bitten too?" Clint asked, unable to hold down the curiosity.

"I guess because he became Spi-" Then she stopped, covered her mouth, and blushed.

"Spider-Man." Clint finished for her.

Elli's eyes widened in betrayal.

"Don't tell anyone!" She gasped.

Clint smiled. 'We won't. You'll have to do a good job, I accidently already kinda told Tony..."

Elli's eyes widened again, and Natasha shot him a glare.

_'If looks could kill.'_ Clint thought.

Tony returned to the room with Bruce. Elli raised an eyebrow, but didn't question. Nor did she move from her spot in front of the couch on the floor. Bruce stood in still shock at the two kids on the couch while Natasha whispered something into his ear. Bruce nodded, and knelt down to look at Peter.

"How long has he been sick?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know really, maybe a week?" Elli answered.

"A _WEEK_!?" Bruce erupted. "Why didn't you get help!?"

"We couldn't..." Elli said, scooting a bit away from him, scared by his outburst.

"Sorry..." He said in an apologetic tone. "That happens sometimes... What are the symptoms?"

"He get's really hot sometimes. And he get's the chills and headaches. Sometimes he says he needs to throw up, even though he never does."

"Light stomach flu." Bruce answered quickly, making Elli sigh in relief.

"That's it?" Elli asked. "He's always out of energy though..."

"Probably because he's Spider-Man, being a super hero takes a lot out of ya at the end of the day. You should have seen us after Loki." Tony chimed in.

That comment brought an even more worried expression to her face.

"He's been doing to much with us running from Connors these days." Elli sighed, slumping back.

Everyone exchanged glances. For Tony it was a look of interest. For Clint and Natasha it was sorrow. The only thing Bruce could conjure was concern.

"Don't worry E. You're with us now. You're safe." Natasha whispered to Elli.


	3. Chapt 3: Here is my Home on Memory Lane

**Hewo maw peepoles! Thank you for all of those who have been following and favoriting! It brings tears of joy to my eyes! **

**And thank you LazeBlaZe7 for reviewing! I am happy that you think this is doing good so far! **

**Anywho, let's get on with the story.**

* * *

Elli wasn't that happy Natasha had insisted that they let Peter sleep on the couch. On his _own_. She was scared that if he woke up, he would be scared himself. She was also afraid that if she went to sleep, she would wake up in an alley or worse...

_'No. She could trust these people. They where helping her. Right?'_

That thought kept ringing through her mind, like a ball stuck in permanent bounce mode.

"Right?" She whispered to herself, sitting atop the sheets on the almost giant bed. She looked out the wall to ceiling windows, thankful that Peter wasn't struggling with his sickness out in the relentless cold. She was thankful they had been found. She tried to reassure herself that she was safe, but the fears kept creeping in through the holes she had forgotten to close up.

_'What if Connors finds us? What if these people are working for him? What if it's just a terribly beautiful dream?'_

She again looked out the windows, trying to banish her thoughts. Elli's eyes drooped heavily, as she struggled to stay awake, not wanting to wake up from the unreal dream she was living. For the first time in 7 years, she felt safe. But soon fatigue overcame her, and her eyes fell shut. Then she drifted into sleep.

* * *

_"Eleriannah!" Peter called, creeping down the stairs. "I'm gonna find you!"_

_Elli giggled from her hiding place in the closet, making Peter creep quickly over to the old oaken door. _

_"Found you!" He said making Elli squeal in delight as she raced from the closet and out of his grip._

_"Catch me if you can!" Elli chided from her new spot atop the stairs. _

_Peter was about to run after her, but their Aunt May called from the kitchen._

_"Lunch time!" She hollered to the overexcited children. _

_They stomped quickly down the stairs, sliding into the polished wood seats._

_"What is it this time?" Peter asked hastily._

_"PB and J." Aunt May answered. placing the plates on the table._

_"Can we eat outside Aunt May?" Elli asked thoughtfully, quickly snatching her sandwich of the plate. She looked up at her with a big pair of doe eyes, begging for her approval. Aunt May couldn't say no._

_"OK, off you go." Aunt May said, ushering them to the screen door. "And be sure to stay on the steps!" She hollered after them._

_The pair rushed happily out the door, mouths filled with Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. Peter quickly downed his, his face covered with jelly. His eyes met the chalk box behind the pillar on their front porch. He walked over to it, and picked it up, placing it on the concrete steps._

_"Wait for me!" Elli said pitifully. She soon finished her sandwich as well, and grabbed a piece of brown chalk, drawing a horse onto one of the steps. _

_"Let's cover all the sidewalk in front of our house!" Elli said excitedly, finishing her horse with a yellow mane. _

_"Yeah!" Peter said, coloring in the last of his helicopter._

_They two moved to new positions, trying to figure out what to draw. Next Elli drew a dragon, and Peter drew the knight. Then Elli drew a tower, and Peter put the two of them on top. As soon as they had finished that, they moved onto a beach. _

_"Your a good drawer." Elli said, looking at the fighter jet Peter was drawing._

_"You are too E!" Peter said, ruffling her hair, which was now filled with chalk dust. _

_Elli blushed, setting down her piece of chalk and hugging Peter, getting chalk all over his sweat shirt. Finally the two resumed their crusade of covering the sidewalk, and soon finished their house. Peter laid down on the tiny front lawn, Elli following in suit.__"That's hard work..." Elli yawned, snuggling close to Peter._

_"I wish it could be like this forever." Peter said, drawing Elli closer. But she had already fallen asleep._

_Little did he know, it wouldn't last forever._

* * *

Peter woke up on a couch. _A couch_. Peter sat up, trying to surface any fuzzy memory he could conjure from the depths of his inky mind. Frustratingly, nothing acoured to him.

"Sleeping beauty is finally awake." A voice quipped.

Peter looked hastily over, and shock filled his numb body. _Tony Stark_ was in the same room with him. Multiple feelings filled his body, first amazement, then curiosity, then confusion, followed by fear.

Tony laughed at the look on his face. Peter blushed, embarrassed.

"How'd I get here?" He whispered to himself.

Apparently Tony could hear him fine and answered," We kinda found your sick body and grungy sister in an alley, so we brought you here."

Peter ignored the 'grungy' comment, and tried to stand up. He sighed in relief when he found that his legs where working fine.

"Is there anyone else here?" Peter piped nervously.

"The Avengers..."

"Who are the Avengers?"


	4. Chapt 4: Not Alone Yet

**Hi guys! I have been getting weird voices in my head, it's funny. And weird. *Shut up Tony* And the voices sound like numerous MARVEL peoples. Weird huh? And, sorry for not posting this weekend, I was away, and had absolutely no access to any computers, whatsoever. **

** Nobody: Thank you for your advice, and Connor's will be explained in this chapter.**

** MANUEL01: I was actually planning on doing a Clintasha, and you advice has been heard. I am doing Jane for aunty Odinson/daughter. Pa Legolas is a hilarious nickname, and it will be used. And yes, Connors is always chasing them. He has kinda lost their trial for the moment though.**

**Thank you for all of your reviews and advice! It makes me so happy to know you are enjoying this!**

**And, by the way, I don't own MARVEL, or Spider Man. Sadly. But I do own Elli!**

* * *

Tony stood, baffled.

"You don't know who the Avengers are?"

"Well, I do, it's just..." Peter started, but then didn't finish.

"What?"

"We don't check up on the news very often."

"You should kid! There's a lot of stuff to hear about!"

"I have enough on my own plate to worry about right now, thanks. Could you please tell me where I am? And where is Elli?" Peter answered flatly.

"You, my good sir, are in Stark Tower. And your buddy is in one of the spare bedrooms. Third door on the right." Tony answered sipping his coffee absentmindedly.

Peter frowned, and stood, ignoring the weird feeling he got when he moved his feet. He staggered a bit, momentarily blinded from being on the couch for so long. Than he stalked away, careful not to touch anything but the floor and the air around him. He stopped in front of the door momentarily, afraid she wouldn't be there. He finally bit his fear, and pushed the door open quietly. Elli was slumped in sleeping pile on the bed, oblivious to his entrance. It was obvious she had tried not to fall asleep. The sheets hadn't been disturbed, except for where she was sleeping. Peter sat down next to her, staring blankly out the window. The sky was cloudy, illuminating the room in a dull silvery grey.

"Hey."

Peter jumped, and whirled around. He sighed, registering that Elli had just woken up.

"Only do that when we are fighting crime." He said, giving her a weak smile.

"How do you feel?" Elli asked, sitting on his lap like she used to when she was little.

"Better. Good thing I'm half spider. Right?" Peter said, earning an earnest chuckle from Elli.

"Right."

"How'd we get here?" Peter said, looking Elli in the eyes.

Elli sighed, and stood, leaving Peter alone on the untouched bed. "You where sick. A lot more sick than you are now. And they found us, and... well, your better now."

"Who found us?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Natasha and Clint." Elli said, crossing her arms. "But Peter, we can't leave! At least not now! Conners hasn't showed up yet, and we can trust these people! I just know it!" She finished, throwing up her arms.

Peter flinched when she mentioned Connors. Elli knew when they could trust people. She had gotten them out of a lot of tough trust situations.

"Alright. But we can't stay too long. Connors might find us..."

"Peter. I think that here is going to be the last place that Connors looks."

Peter looked at her. She was tired of running, tired of never staying any longer than two days in most places. Peter didn't answer. He just looked shamefully down at his feet.

"Now, you can come with me and meet these people, or stay here and sulk." Elli said, holding out her hand.

"I'll come with you." Peter said, taking her hand.

"That's the Peter I know."

* * *

Elli basically dragged Peter into the living room, where he was shocked to see the assortment of people. Tony was on the couch, flipping through the channels for something interesting to watch. A tall long haired blonde man was rummaging through the cupboards franticly. A red haired lady was perched on the couch beside Tony, eating. A curly haired man had stuck himself in a far corner, his nose in a book. And finally, another tall blonde haired man was drawing at the table.

Almost everyone looked up at their arrival. Peter immediately blushed, not used to all the attention. Elli didn't seem too easy around them either, but seated herself next to the red haired woman.

"Man of Iron! We have run out of your delicious Tarts of Pop!" The long haired man bellowed, an upset look plastered to his face. It disappeared when he spotted Peter. "Who is the new arrival?" He boomed.

"His name is Peter." Tony grunted from his spot on the couch." Peter, Thor. Thor, Peter."

"Welcome Peter!" Thor said, trapping him in a bone crushing hug.

Suddenly, the two heard a rattle in the vent above the hallway. "OUT OF THE _WAY!"  
_A sandy haired guy came crashing through the vent, crashing into the floor with the vent cover. Thor had barely enough time to jump out of the way (With Peter still trapped in his hug) before the man crashing onto the floor.

The second blonde haired man jumped to is feet, helping the sandy haired man.

"Are you alright Clint? You have got to stop going through the vents like that!"

"I'm fine Steve." Clint said, pushing him away. Then he sat himself firmly between the red haired woman and Tony.

All of this was very awkward for Peter. Who had just managed to pry himself from Thor's steely grip. He was uncomfortable with so many people in the same room at once. Tony looked at him again.

"Introductions guys?" Tony asked, eyeing everyone.

"I'm Natasha." The red haired woman volunteered.

"Steve Rogers." Steve said, holding out his hand.

"Bruce Banner." The curly haired man whispered quietly from the corner.

"Clint." Clint said, raising his fork, signaling where he was.

"Tony Stark." Tony smirked, earning a few annoyed glances from people around the room.

"I am Thor Odinson of Asgard!" Thor finished.

"And who might you be?" Natasha encouraged, hoping for a proper introduction.

"I think you've already met Elli." Peter motioned. Elli blushed, when almost everyone turned to glance at her." And I'm Peter Parker."

"Peter _Parker?_ Tony asked, intrigued. "As in Richard Parker?"

Peter nodded.

"Then how'd you get stuck with living on the streets?"

Peter had been dreading this question. But he knew it would come. He looked at Elli for help.

"Connors is after us." She said, speaking for Peter.

"Why is he after you?" Tony said, obviously annoyed with the unfinished answer. "Isn't he like, BFFs with your dad?"

"Connors is after us because, because..." Peter stammer. "Well, almost twelve years ago, Connors was starting up animal and human cellular combinations. Richard Parker had kinda buddied up on him, but then he realized it was too dangerous, and tried to stop Connors."

"Connors staged Richard's death, and he figured out that we broke into one of the spider labs at Oscorp." Elli volunteered. " Now he's coming after us to try and pull tests to see why we successfully did it with out losing out minds. He also wants to kinda replicate it... and sell it... which could be kinda bad... "and he kinda blew us out of the water by killing basically everyone we could live with."

Tony had a pissed look on his face, Natasha a look of conformation, Clint a look of pity, Steve looked upset, Bruce had concern, and Thor just looked like he had no idea what they were talking about.

"That could make private armies." Steve said, trying to lift the new stress of his shoulders.

"Your right." Clint said, putting a comforting hand on Peter's shoulder.

"So your all alone?" Bruce whispered.

"Not yet." Determination burned in Natasha's eyes. "Not yet."


	5. Chapt 5: Brighter Than A Shooting Star

**Hi guys! I have been sooooo exited about this story, because it's the longest story I have every written! (unless you count one I did about a year ago. It was still pretty good. And MLP, Avengers and PJO crossover. And my OC ruled all! Mwahaha!)**

**Anywho:  
****Coco: I have no idea what question you are talking about. O.o**

**LazeBlaZe7: In Iron Man 3, it shows Tony doing biochemical and medical stuff, so he would have known Richard as a team up, or someone to reference to.**

* * *

Connors looked hastily around his lab. He scrambled to his destination, knocking over a few vials in the process. The computer screen was flashing. He clicked a link, and a camera recording appeared on screen. It was a dark alley, and he saw two of his workmen closing in on a teenage boy.

_'They have found him.'_ A voice in his brain hissed excitedly.

Connors pushed it away, and continued watching the screen. The girl appeared at the entrance of the alley, a bag banging angrily at her hip. One of his men turned around, but was suddenly flung back by an almost invisible force. The second fell to the ground as the girl ran away. When the boy failed to stand, a men stepped in, apparently using an intercom to contact someone. The boy and the man argued a bit, but finally the boy relented, and allowed himself to be carried away.

_'NO!'_ The voice hissed angrily. _'We need better!'_

* * *

Peter looked a his plate. He had hardly touched his food, even though Elli had eaten about half of hers. Peter stood and left to their room.

"Is he OK?" Steve asked, a worried expression plastered to his face.

"He's not used to being around so many people. And having so much to eat." Elli answered. "I'll go talk to him."

Steve frowned. He had been like that when he was younger.

Elli left the table, and padded softly into the bedroom. Peter was sitting by the window, his legs tucked to his chest. He was looking outside.

"Wanna go out tonight?" Elli asked.

Peter jumped. He looked at her.

"It always makes me feel better." Elli said. "And if you do, just promise I can come too."

"That actually sounds like a good idea. You got your suit?" He asked, standing up.

"Eeeyup! I always keep it under my day clothes."

Peter made a face.

"You got your web slingers?" Elli asked. She didn't need to double check for hers. She was bitten twice, somehow giving her natural spinners in her wrists.

"Um-hm." Peter nodded, holding up his wrists.

"One minute." Elli said, holding up a finger and walking out the door.

"We're going out." Elli said to the group, who where still chatting at the table.

"Just promise you wont run away." Clint said sarcastically.

"I'll keep an eye on Pete." Elli winked, and then went back into her shared room.

Elli earned a few chuckles before she left. When she went back, she saw Peter slipping his mask on. Elli pulled hers out of her pocket, and pulled it on after donning her costume. Peter looked back at her.

"Follow my lead." He said, and swung out one of the windows. Elli waited a second, and then ran. She jumped, and let the air rush past her in an exiting fall towards the ground. She shot a web after Peter at the last minute, catching herself. She felt momentum pull her to the black sky hanging over the bright night life of the city.

"Yahoooo!" She screamed in pure delight.

When she was at the peak of her arc, she let go, and fall a few feet before twisting and shooting another web. She spotted Peter awaiting her atop one of the nearby cranes. She stuck a perfect landing next to him.

"What's next Spidey?" Elli asked.

"There's a robbery on 39th." Peter said. "We might as well check it out."

"Alrighty then." Elli said.

Peter jumped, and shot a web, Elli following in suit. They soon arrived at the bank, swinging in from the open roof hatch. Elli crept silently on the ceiling while Peter slunk in the shadows along the walls.

"All of it!" A gruff voice called, and the pair arrived in the room two see four armed men and six hostages. The man working at the desk was hurriedly scooping money from a register into a bag. Peter pointed to two of the men and Elli nodded on response. Elli crept silently over one of the men, putting a finger over where her mouth was when one of the younger hostages looked up. No sooner than she had prepared, she shot a web at one of the men and webbed him to the ceiling. One of the men turned around, only to get webbed in the mouth by Peter. He dropped his gun in surprise, and got his hands webbed to the wall. Peter landed a kick on one of the man's chests, knocking him breathlessly to the ground. Peter punched another man, and then karate kicked him into the wall, where he was secured with webs. Elli had finished of her second man, and just as Pete turned around landed a final punch on one of the crooks who was trying to get up. She webbed him to the floor so he couldn't move.

"Hi guys!" Elli said cheerfully when she had finished her work. "We gotta go now. Can you handle the rest?"

"Yes. Thank you." The desk manager stammered, struggling for words.

"Alright then." Peter said, and then took of out the front door.

Elli waved, and followed him. Soon they were up in the air again.

"When the sun goes down and the lights burn out  
Then it's time for you to shine!  
Brighter than a shooting star!  
So shine no matter where you are!

Fill the darkest night with a brilliant light  
'Cause it's time for you to shine.  
Brighter than a shooting star!  
So shine no matter where you are tonight!"

Elli sang cheerfully

"Whoa-oh, woah-oh, whoa-oh!

Brighter than a shooting star  
Shine no matter where you are tonight!"

Peter swung back into the window. Elli landed on a nearby window, and jumped inside, closing it behind her. Elli tore of her mask.

"That was fun!" Elli said.

"We need to do this more often." Peter said.

"Better now?" Elli asked.

"Better." Peter responded, and pulled her into a hug. Then he collapsed on the bed. Elli sat on the edge of the bed for a while, waiting for Peter to fall asleep. When she was sure, she stood and walked to the window, putting her hand on the glass.

"I'm coming home,  
I'm coming home,  
Tell the world I'm coming home.  
Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday.  
I know my kingdom awaits,  
and they've forgiven my mistakes.  
I'm coming home,  
I'm coming home.  
Tell the world that I'm coming home."

Elli sang to herself. Where was her home?


	6. Chapt 6: Find a Little Spot to Settle

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and likes! I love you guys! You bring tears to my eyes! :D**

**Sorry I haven't updated recently. A few days can be sooooo long! **

**Reviews for Coming Home!**

* * *

Clint had promised not to be nosy. He had promised Natasha he wouldn't go after them. But he did anyway. He saw them swing in the window, breathless but happy. He saw Elli crying by the window. And he felt guilty. It was his assassin instinct to go after them. He slipped away through his pitch black labyrinth. When he finally exited the maze of tunnels he saw Natasha standing in his room. Her arms where crossed, and she had a dangerously calm look about her face.

"Did you break your promise?" Natasha asked, her face a blank slate.

Clint swallowed, and nodded feverishly. He braced himself, but nothing came. He looked up and saw her seated on the bed.

"What did you see?" She asked him, glancing out the floor to ceiling windows.

"She's upset. Elli is." Clint said, sitting next to her and gazing down at his feet.

Natasha was still staring out the window when he looked up. "Peter reminds me of someone." Natasha said, looking at his face.

"Who?"

"You."

"Elli reminds me of you Nat."

"They are going through the same thing we did with S.H.I.E.L.D Clint. How do we help them?" Natasha said, brushing a few stray hairs away from her face.

"I know Nat. I'm still trying to figure that out." Clint answered her.

* * *

The next morning, Clint found Elli on the roof. She was laying down, her head propped up with her hands crossed behind.

"Hey." Clint muttered, plopping himself down next to her.

She didn't move, but glanced at him when he sat down.

"Do you ever see things?" Elli asked cautiously.

"What?" Clint asked, a confused look appearing across his face.

"In the clouds." Elli said, pushing her self up. "Pictures in the clouds."

Clint nodded. He had used to escape to the roof after dinner. He would sit outside the tiny window of his small bedroom, and wished he could fly.

"What do you see?" Clint asked.

"I see things, but I never know how to place them." Elli said, scooting closer to him.

"It takes a while to do that." Clint agreed. "I see an... um... a lion?" He said, spotting a strangely shaped cloud.

Elli chuckled as her eyes scanned the horizon. "All I ever see is a whole bunch of Elvises. There!" She said, pointing at something. "A viking Elvis Presley singing soprano."

Clint burst into a fit of laughter, making Elli smile.

"You sure do have an imagination." Clint said when he'd finished laughing.

"Thanks." Elli answered him. "You do too."

"Way for the vote of confidence kiddo." Clint chuckled ruffling her hair.

Elli scooted closer, until her head was on his shoulder. At first he froze in shock. Then he stroked her hair. Maybe they did have some trust in some people.

* * *

Natasha found herself in the gym that morning. Usually Steve was somewhere in here, but for some reason, he hadn't showed up. Natasha sighed. She had been hoping to spar with someone for a while. She quickly paced over to the acrobatics area, pushing herself up onto one of the bars.

"He went running." A voice said. Natasha looked around, used to JARVIS answering those kinds of questions. But instead she found Peter, perched on one of the higher gymnastic swings. Natasha looked up, spotting Peter balancing himself easily on one of the bars. Natasha smiled.

"How'd you get up there?" She wondered aloud, cocking her head at him.

"Having spider powers helps." Peter said flatly.

Natasha chuckled. "Oh what I would give for some of those."

"They aren't the best..." Peter said climbing down.

"Show me how good you are."

"What?"

"We're gonna spar."

"Oh."

Natasha paced to the mat, taking of the sweatshirt she was wearing.

"Ready?"

"I don't know..."

Natasha jabbed a punch at him, but he dodged.

"This is how we're gonna play, huh?"

Natasha just jabbed another punch. Peter dodged it, and pulled a karate kick. No sooner than he tried, he was on the ground.

"You need some practice." Natasha said, offering her hand to help him up.

"Bank robbers are slower than this." Peter answered, taking her hand.


	7. Chapt 7: Eggs and a few Movies

**Hey guys! Sorry about the last week, there was this weird glitch, and I couldn't even save my docs in the manager! I fixed it though!**

**Tomorrow is Easter, so I'm gonna do a Steve special. I had 'Heaven is for Real' in here for Steve. BTW happy Easter! Wait... My last name means Easter in German. I just realized I am German. **

**O****.o ****Wow**

**{aAaAa}**

**Nobody: Peter is sassy when he fights crime! Everybody loves sass! Thank you for your encouragement!**

**xXxOtAkU-444xXx: Yay! You like it! **

**MaDi123: Thank you so much! I have never gotten a compliment like that before!**

**Manuel01: Yes, I know. So sweet. Actually, I was planning on having Tony and Pepper adopt them, but I kept seeing it everywhere. Need to be unique! Have a happy Eater too!**

**[I OWN NOTHING]**

* * *

Natasha and Clint strode to the small conference room. The pair peeked through the door, seeing Fury waiting for them. He gestured for them to sit down, and they did as they where told.

"I understand you have been attempting to bond with the children you found the other night." Fury acknowledged them.

The two nodded, unsurprised Fury had found out about this.

"I would like you to take them in as your own." Fury went on.

Clint face grew exited, and Natasha's filled with joy. They looked like kids on Christmas morning. Fury nodded his head.

"I see you except this?" He stated. He didn't need to be answered.

* * *

Steve was at the counter that morning, sketching away. Peter stumbled sleepily through the doorway, rubbing his eyes. Elli wasn't far behind him.

"Happy Easter." Steve called from his spot at the counter.

Peter and Elli exchanged glances.

Easter. Da Ja Vu.

Steve had gotten up early and prepared eggs for everyone, which Peter and Elli chomped down quickly.

Natasha and Clint arrived a while later, beaming. They had agreed not to tell them until summer started, though they where already overexcited for the time. to come.

"Who wants to dye eggs!?" Clint exclaimed, grabbing food dye and a pan.

Steve jumped up, and started to boil them, leaving Clint to make a rainbow of colors. Peter and Elli watched as Clint mixed the colors, occasionally recommending he make a certain color. Steve had plopped the boiled eggs on a towel on the counter. Clint finished the dye when Thor walked in, drowsily wobbling into the room. He eyed the eggs and colored dye curiously.

"What is this?" He asked, picking up on of the eggs, and glancing at the dye like it might be next.

"We're gonna dye eggs." Natasha said flatly, picking an egg up herself. "You dip an egg in the dye and let it sit for a minute, and when it comes out it is covered in colors." She explained simply, making Thor grin excitedly.

"I'll show you." Peter offered, and Thor nodded his head. Peter took an eggs and stuck it in the bowl, which was being held in place by a small loop attached to the edge of the bowl. Thor managed to place his egg in a loop, and pumped his fist in the air in triumph. Tony soon arrived, and he hastily took a seat.

"What colors?" Tony muttered, still sipping his coffee.

"Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink," Elli listed, looking at the bowls "Hot pink, goldish, teal, lime and err- black? Who made black?"

No one answered. For some reason, everyone made eggs to their corresponding colors. Tony made a red and 'goldish' egg, Thor made a blue, red and yellow one, Steve patriotic looking egg, Peter and Elli both made blue and red, while Natasha and Clint stuck to black, red, and purple. Tony even made Bruce a green and purple egg for good measure. After they had made their 'symbolizing eggs' Steve put them over the electric fireplace and they moved on to more sensible colors. As soon as they finished, Steve begged Tony to take him to the new movie, _Heaven is for Real_. After a lot of pleading, Tony finally gave in, and the group (minus Bruce) went to the theater. In all, everyone agreed it was a pretty good movie. The group went back to the tower at about 12:35.

"I declare a Harry Potter marathon!" Tony shouted when they had settled back into the tower.

Bruce suddenly appeared from no were. "Harry Potter?" His face lit up a bit.

Tony nodded, a cheesy grin plastered to his face.

"We've never seen Harry Potter before." Elli said, sitting roughly on the couch. Peter nodded in conformation.

"Harry Potter it is!" Clint hollered, raising an invisible glass.

The group had settled on the couch, Bruce on the end, Tony next to him, Peter and Elli squashed between Natasha and Clint, and Thor and Steve on the other end. They started the first movie with whispers of anticipation. Bruce's eyes where glued to the screen the whole time, but Tony kept sending texts to Steve. Steve was trying to concentrate on a sketch between the texts he received from Tony, and hardly glanced up at the screen. Thor was mesmerized by the 'magic box' and would sometimes ask what was going on, like a five year old asks questions about thing they don't understand. But Clint, Peter, Elli, and Natasha sat silently the whole time, taking in every detail. The two assassins hadn't seen Harry Potter either, because of the missions they went on. Elli would react to the characters, gasping when something shocking was uncovered, or when someone got hurt. Peter just watched the movies quietly. Soon the sky grew dark, and they had managed to the sixth when Tony nodded off. Halfway through, Peter fell asleep, his head on Clint's lap. Elli fell asleep as well, using Peter as her pillow, with her feet in Natasha's lap. At the beginning of the first half of _The Deathly Hallows_ Thor started snoring loudly. Bruce and Steve fell asleep near the end, Steve's sketch pad sliding lazily down his lap. By the second half, everyone was asleep but Clint and Natasha. But soon, they fell asleep, looking forward to the next day.


	8. Chapt 8: Take Me as I am

**Sorry it's been so long! Sue meeeeee! **

**Ok, I haven't seen TASM 2 yet. (sue me) But I hear Gwen dies and Harry is the Green Goblin. All my MARVEL buddies saw it and we were all sitting on my lawn, and Emmi (The HUGEST bug themed superhero fan EVER) was still bawling her eyes out, (Probably because she was listing to 'Say Something' over and over again. She say's it's Peter and Gwen in a nutshell) and leaning on me whisper screaming, "They where so... so perfect together!" **

**I fear for her sanity. And Gwen's death did this to her. I am very ,very pissed. I mean, VERY pissed. **

**And Kylie, (the hugest Widow/Cap shipping fan) was crying too, saying that Peter had followed Gwen to England. (Andrew Garfield probably felt right at home there, especially with his girlfriend) **

**I am broken. HALP ME. **

**You get more sass today. For make up. And some action too... maybe even a cliff hanger. Mwahaha. (I've been listening to the soundtrack of the Odd Life of Timothy Green) **

**Manuel01: I needed to do a mall spree at one point, maybe Pete and Clint being overwhelmed. Maybe a bit of E too (E doesn't care as long as she has clothes on her body and hair on her head) Bear hug to Fury? Maybe later, but they will meet him in this chapter.**

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS SLIGHTLY GORY AND VIOLENT. NOT SUGGESTED FOR CHLIDREN OF TEN OR UNDER**

* * *

**Say something, I'm giving up on you**  
** I'll be the one, if you want me to**  
** Anywhere I would've followed you **_(Peter followed her to England)_  
** Say something, I'm giving up on you**

** And I am feeling so small**  
** It was over my head**  
** I know nothing at all **_(Both of them, they where so in love that they didn't see it coming)_

** And I will stumble and fall**  
** I'm still learning to love** _(More Peter, Gwen taught him how to love)_  
** Just starting to crawl**

** Say something, I'm giving up on you**  
** I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you**  
** Anywhere I would've followed you**  
** Say something, I'm giving up on you**

** And I will swallow my pride**  
** You're the one that I love**  
** And I'm saying goodbye **_( I can just see Gwen dying here)_

** Say something, I'm giving up on you**  
** And I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you **_(Peter couldn't catch her)_  
** And anywhere I would've followed you (Oh-oh-oh-oh)**  
** Say something, I'm giving up on you**

** Say something, I'm giving up on you**  
** Say something... **_(Gwen's final breath)_

**By: One Big World and someone I forgot the name of.**

* * *

Peter and Elli sat at the dining room table, talking quietly and eating. The two had both gotten actual showers in that night; and they where grateful. Steve had prepared a large haul of pancakes, and the rest of the group was scattered around the room eating them.

Suddenly Pepper entered the room.

"Pepper!" Tony exclaimed. "You're back early!" He literally shot from his seat and was by her side in seconds.  
"Hi Tony." She greeted, and sat down on a couch. Steve handed her a plate of pancakes, and greeted her.  
"Who's this?" Pepper asked, cocking her head to where Peter and Elli sat at the table.  
Clint stood and walked quickly over to them before whispering something into Peter's ear. He answered with a whisper and a quick comment.  
"Pepper, I would like you to meet Peter and Elli. Spider-man and Spider-woman."  
Pepper sat there for a second, before standing up with a huge smile growing on her face.  
"We can't let you wear those rags now can we?"  
Tony's eyes visibly widened, along with Clint's. Steve and Bruce simply shook their heads and chuckled. Natasha was soon at Pepper's side, nodding in agreement. Thor looked at the Peter and Elli in sympathy before escaping to the guest room. Peter and Elli exchanged looks. The whole room drew in a breath. Peter and Elli had heard of Pepper's shopping sprees and didn't want one part of it.  
"Come on!" Pepper grabbed the two's hands and half dragged, half walked them to the elevator. Apparently their clothes where more important than the fact they where the Spider-kids. Natasha herded Clint along with them, and Tony quickly grabbed a video camera and shades, just because. After a short bus ride, a few sweatshirts and sunglasses, some more dragging/leading, and a video camera being turned on; they finally found themselves at the entrance of a large mall.

"Natasha! We have plenty of clothes!" Clint whined as the group weaved easily through the heavy crowds.  
"Elli and Peter don't." Pepper answered him as she prodded the two in question forward like prisoners.

They entered the first store, which seemed like a never ending flow of garments. Natasha watched Peter and Clint to make sure they wouldn't run away while Pepper took Elli to find some clothes. Tony was sniggering, his video camera rolling in his hand.

"Tony, sit down and engage in some conversation like a normal person." Natasha ordered. "And turn that off!"

Tony plopped himself on the bench next to Clint, but didn't turn off the camera, instead pointing it at where Elli and Pepper had disappeared among the clothing racks. Elli sighed to herself as she followed Pepper, who was zig-zagging hysterically through the rows of isles. Elli had to admit, she needed new clothes, but honestly didn't want Pepper throwing to much of a party. She had heard the way Tony had recalled those _'unfortunate'_ events with the credit card. When Elli found Pepper after losing her for what felt like the hundredth time, Pepper had her arms full of shirts, dresses, and more.

"I see you threw a party." Elli said with the rise of her eyebrow.  
"It's not all for you." Pepper said thoughtfully.  
Elli snickered a bit. "I see what you did there. Anything for Tony and Clint?"  
Pepper nodded, only to show her a small collection of ridiculous outfits.  
"You will never catch them wearing that." Elli chuckled as she rolled her eyes.  
"Maybe once." Pepper said.  
"Im'a go get Pete." Elli muttered before quickly disappearing, and finding her way back to the bench.

Elli had dragged Peter into the caverns, and he was desperately sending S.O.S to Clint and Tony, who where now laughing hysterically.  
"Ok, I wanna show you something funny." Elli whispered to Peter.  
He smirked a bit, and followed her. They found Pepper, and Peter put a hand to his mouth before bursting into laughter.

"Your serious?" Peter asked, still trying to muffle his laughter.

Pepper nodded, a sly smiling finding it's way onto her lips.

They snuck away to the cash register and bought the ridiculous put fits, and then found some clothes for Peter. The group was heading to the entrance of the mall when crowds started to filter away in a mad scramble. Natasha and Clint looked at each other, then at Peter and Elli with a nod.

"That's our que." Peter said quickly before dragging Elli through the crows with him.  
"See you!" Elli said with a wave before disappearing.

Tony and Pepper looked at each other. Clint lifted Natasha up over the crowd. Hanging from the entrance of the mall, which was now barricaded; was a man. This man in particular wore a loose fitting trench coat, goggles, and had four great mechanical arms sprouting from his back. Natasha shot Clint a thumbs up and Clint lowered her to the ground.

"What's with the arms chump?" A feminine voice called.  
"Big fashion statement. You should go to the mechanics. I can point you there, but the mall is the wrong place to be. Or maybe you needed to go to a fashion show?" Spider-man appeared with a snickering Spider-woman at his side.

The crowds turned around, some wielding video camera's and phones.

"Get this on video Tony!" Clint said. Tony turned on his video camera and pointed it at the small secluded balcony where the two stood.

The man sneered.

"We need a name. Any suggestions sidekick?" Spider-man quipped.  
"How about... squid man?" Spider-woman suggested, then stopped before landing a small slap on the back of Spider-man's head. He winced and rubbed it sheepishly.

"Alright then squiddy, we'll get creative later. Now either leave and don't be a threat blah blah blah or we get to have fun." Spider-man said while putting a hand up and faking a yawn.

"You want to have fun huh? Well take this!" 'Squid man' said as one of his arm lashed out. Of all the people it grabbed, it grabbed Pepper. Tony's eyes visibly widened behind the sunglasses and he made a feeble jump, letting out a yelp of surprise when he actually managed to grab a hold of the arm. Pepper was screaming at the top of her lungs, and some people where whispering to each other in recognition. Spider-man and woman looked at each other, the concern on their faces hidden behind the masks they where wearing.

"How about strategy 1.2 B?" Spider-woman asked, fake curiosity in her voice.  
"Good idea." Spider-man answered, cocking his head a bit. He then rubbed his gloved hands together a bit and jumped, shooting a web at the clear glass roof above. He swung towards their enemy, dodging an arm as it flew closer to his form. Spider-woman started to whistle, and swung a bit to the side. She found herself in a toy store, and an immediate idea formed in her head. She grabbed nerf guns and bullets of the shelves before strapping a few with web fluid to her waist, and slinging one across her back so she looked like a commando. She webbed a few twenty dollar bills on the counter in thanks, and glanced around quickly before spotting a bow and arrows. A sly grin grew behind the mask, and she grabbed them, and then swung out with a net full of toy guns in tow.

"NERF FIGHT!" She shouted before stripped herself of her gear and throwing them to the nearest person. She continued passing out guns and bullets to people of all ages and then landed near Clint and Natasha.

"Thought you might wanna help." Spider-woman said as she handed Natasha a few small nerf guns and Clint the nerf bow and arrows. Clint smiled softly before cocking an arrow.

Spider-woman finally swung up into the rafters and stood upside down on one of the glass skylights. Spider-man was still trying to get to their opponent, and Pepper was still screaming.

"Soldiers hear me and hear me well!" She bellowed in a dramatic tone of voice. "FIRE! CUZ THIS IS SPARTA!" She couldn't help herself with that small quip on the end.

The whole room was infused into chaos. Bullets flew every which way, but generally in the direction of 'squid man'. Natasha and Clint had actually managed to hit him with some force, causing his mechanical arms flail every which way. After that, squid man regained control and one of his arms swung into a gardening store. It soon withdrew with a few rolls of barbed wire.

"Oohhh crab." Spider-woman muttered.

Suddenly Spider-man went flying into the far wall. He was suspended in the air for a split second before falling five feet to the crushed floor. Spider-woman swung over and collapsed next to her brother. His back was bleeding, chunks of concrete embedded in it. His lenses had cracked, and partially fallen apart.

"Hey!" She slapped him across the face. "Wake up you idiot!"

There was no response. She pressed her ear against his chest and her eyes widened behind her mask.

"Wake up!" She lifted up the bottom half of the mask and started doing CPR right there. "I'm don't want to be the only one left!"

She was scared out of her wits by this time. Clint and Natasha pushed through the whispering crowd and froze. Clint rushed forward, yelling franticly for a doctor. Before anyone could react a cruel chuckle erupted from above the three. Clint and Spider-woman looked up to see their enemy, almost forgotten, above them. Clint tried to pull Spider-man away, but only succeeded in being knocked away. Natasha ran to his side.

"Oh Eleriannah. Someone has been waiting for you." The man chuckled, a sly grin appearing on his face. "I believe you've met before."

Spider-woman stepped back, her teeth gritted. Suddenly the man lashed out with on of his arms, and Spider-woman went flying into the far wall with a yelp of pain and surprise. She landed on the far wall, eyeing the barbed wire in one of the man's tentacles. It had a small amount of blood dripping off it, along with almost half of her mask. She moved to touch her mask, surprised to see almost half of it had been torn off. Her hair was hanging out slightly, and her visible eye was teary.

"If this is it." She choked. "Then take me as I am."  
"So you've been prepared for this?" Then man asked incuriously.  
"Always." She answered.

The man moved again, the cruel wire hitting her stomach. She screamed in pain, and suddenly the doors where run through by police officers. The man whipped her with the wire again, and she screamed louder, drawing the attention of the police. By the time they had arrived through the crowd, the man had grabbed her and Spider-man, and was making his escape.

Natasha was crying hard now, and Clint was yelling and pumping his fist at the hole in the roof. They where gone.

* * *

was waiting for what seemed like hours. Suddenly he heard a clacking noise behind him, and he turned around in his chair. Being escorted by his workers was .

"Have you done as asked?" Connors inquired.

Octavius simply lurched an arm forward, dropping two mask less teens to the floor. One yelped, and started to visibly struggled underneath a thick wrapping of barbed wire. The other remained motionless.

"Thank you." Connors said.

He quickly drew out a small duffle bag, which Octavius took. He ordered his men back to work and examined his prizes.

He had them now.


	9. Chapt 9: Rescue?

**fariedragon: Yes I know. Now you're making me feel guilty! *sob!* **

**Don't worry! Someone will help them! Someone by the name of...**

**Harry. Osborne.**

**DUN. DUN. DUN!**

* * *

Back at the tower Clint was fuming, he had even pounded a hole in the wall. Natasha had not been seen the rest of the day, and no one knew where she was, even though Clint claimed she was on her floor. Pepper was mortified, and Tony was just silent. Bruce was in the lab, franticly searching for any leads, Steve accompanying him. Thor had seen I on the news, and didn't say much about it.

"We should be out there doing something!" Clint yelled, pounding yet another hole in the wall.

No one answered him.

"I'm going to go talk to Natasha." Clint muttered before stalking out of the room.

He stepped in the elevator, and smashed the button, soon arriving on her floor.

"Natasha! Natasha!" He called.

There was no reply. He gazed around the room, his sight landing on a small note on the kitchen counter. He rushed over to it, and picked up the small slip of paper.

_Hey Clint, _

_If your reading this, them I'm probably already out there doing something. You can join me if you want, though I would prefer to do this alone. If you know what I mean. After Coulson left us I couldn't take any more. These kids are the most amazing thing that's happened to us, and if we lose them I don't know what I'll do. So if you want me, I'm heading to Oscorp. If I don't come back or call you in an hour, come look for me. I don't think you'll need to though._

_XOXO_

_-Nat_

* * *

Peter felt terrible. An indescribable terrible that would send shivers up his marred back. And that kind of terrible hurt. It was hard to breathe, to open his eyes, but he could feel things. It was like he was in a coma and he could choose when to wake up, but he just couldn't. He was right there on the surface. He could feel pins and needles and gloved hands and microscopes and a matter of scientific sounding things. He could hear the dull drone of whispers and pens touching paper, and shallow breathing. He could hear voices telling someone to do something that sounded painful. And then he could see.

He decided he didn't want to see anyway. But his eyes denied his orders and flew open. A harsh light greeted him, and the world looked like it was at the bottom of a pool for a second. Vivid, fluid motions vibrating through the fabric of everything else. He could see people leaning over him. Some looked like doctors, though he was positive that they weren't; due to a mixture of white lab coats and hazard bins scattered about the room. It was small. Crowded even.

Peter sat still for what felt like hours before deciding to move.

Blink.

The voices chattered, and there where more sounds. More pens against paper, more orders. More hurting.

He moved his arm a bit, only to find it stuck to the side of the small table like area he was half asleep on.

Scuffling feet and whispers.

He tugged it, but it stubbornly wouldn't budge.

Some panicked yelps resounded through, and the sound of shoes squeaking on the floor was heard clearly through the sound of a door opening. The sound of chains on metal and retorts. Then just silence. Peter craned his neck and saw Elli. She was crying.

"It'll be alright." He said.  
"She said she'd save us." Elli answered.

They heard the people leaving, and the door slammed shut, leaving them in solitude.

"They just have to find us." Peter reassured her.

Instead, she was silent; and when Peter tried to look at her again, he saw her fast asleep.

And everything was quiet, except for the uncomforting sound of computers and other things. Quiet things. Silent abandonment.

So he to closed his eyes, and dreamed of paradise.

* * *

Harry Osborn was tired of being ignored. So he decided that he wouldn't be. His father had left no more than five minutes ago for a meeting. He was bored. So he stood up, and walked down the hall like he did it all the time. To someone who wouldn't ignore him. But instead he was passed by as another regular person, completely ignored.

Harry walked to the elevator, finding there was no one in it, and pressed a random button. It ended up being one of the underground floors, one that he had never been to for certain reasons. That would probably get his father's attention. He peeked into the hallway a flood of scientists heading down the hall, away from him thankfully. He spotted the door they where exiting from, and grabbed it before it closed. Harry slipped through the small crack, and shut it quietly behind him. He now stood in a new room, flocked with computers and other mechanical devices that he couldn't name. On a small table, to masks sat. They where oddly familiar looking, even from a distance. He stepped a bit closer, and saw why. They where both Spider-man looking masks, one was reasonable smaller, and had half of it ripped of, just enough remained that it could hang on a face. It had dry blood on the edges, and was raggedly torn. The other was torn a bit as well, and it's lenses were cracked.

Harry's mind found itself back at the television in his father's office. On the news a mall attack had been reported, and a grueling video was shown. A battle with Spider-man and woman against someone they had temporarily named 'squid man'. And they had been defeated. At one point it had gotten so hard to watch he had turned it off, the vivid picture of Spider-woman against the wall still printed clearly in his mind.

He kept exploring, the masks clenched firmly in his hand. He came to a turn in the lab, surprised to find the small extension. He turned the corner slowly, and stopped suddenly. Pressed against the wall where two observation tables, large ones at that. On them where the owners of the masks. Harry took a few slow steps forward, and looked over the rim of the first.

A boy about his age was on it, sleeping. His face was battered and bruised, and he wasn't attached to anything but a heart monitor. He had brown hair and a narrow face, and he almost looked familiar. Harry looked at the other one and saw a girl who looked about two years younger then him at the least. An ugly cut stretched across her face, under her eye and to her chin. There was a large gash across her waist and stomach, and it was peeping out through her costume. She had similar brown hair and was also familiar, but he dismissed it.

"Oh my gosh." He muttered.

At that slight whisper the girl's eyes shot open in a wild panic, and she immediately pushed against the hand cuffs attaching her to the table.

"Hey! It's ok! I don't want to hurt you!" Harry exclaimed as he put his hands up submissively.

She stopped, and he looked at her again. She was scared.

"Are you ok?" Harry asked quietly.  
"Do I look ok?" She shot back. "Can you get me out?"  
"I don't know, I'll go see if there's a button or anything." Harry said before disappearing around the corner quickly.

He stared at the complicated looking boards for a second before spotting a button, conveniently labeled 'restrianments' . He pressed it and heard a clack from the other side of the wall, when he reappeared from behind the other side he saw Spider-woman slowly sitting up and rubbing her wrists.

"Thank you." She said before slowly standing and limping towards Spider-man.  
"Hey web-head." She whispered before prodding him. "Wake up. We got us a ticket out of here."

He slowly opened his brown eyes and looked at her for a second before slowly pushing himself up. Harry gasped a bit at his marred back. chunks of concrete where embedded in it, and though he couldn't see any bone, he was sure it hurt.

"Let me web that for you." Spider-woman said before applying webbing to Spider-man's back. Harry cringed a bit in sympathy at his face. Spider-woman then webbed her own injuries.  
"Hey... did you see any small watch-like machines?" Spider-man asked.

Harry nodded his head before disappearing and finding them on the desk he had found the masks.

"Are these it?" He questioned quietly.

Spider-man nodded, and attached them to his wrists. No sooner than they had tried to walk further the vent cover popped silently off. A short red haired woman in a black catsuit popped out, and Harry imeadeatly recognized her as the Black Widow.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed, trapping Spider-man and Spider-woman in a hug. "I was looking everywhere! We where so worried! Clint's punched holes in the walls he was so upset!"  
"Natasha!" Spider-woman managed.  
"We have to get you home! Now!" The Black Widow interrupted, at the same time pulling out her phone and dialing a number.

* * *

Clint had stayed. He was sitting on the couch staring at the wall he had punched a hole in.

_BBBBBZZZZ_

Clint jumped a bit at the sound of his phone, and fumbled with it as he pressed the talk button.

"Hello?"

_"Clint! I found them! They need a hospital!" _Natasha exclaimed over the phone.

_"We don't need a hospital." _He heard on the background.

"Get them to the nearest one." Clint said anyway. He heard a sigh on the other end that was no doubt Peter.

_"Ok. See you soon Clint." _Natasha said.

He hung up and took a deep breath and smiled.

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"She found them."


	10. Chapt 10: Family

**Sorry! I'm so sorry it took so long! **

**Nobody: I know! I feel terrible! I've been mocked by terrible dreams of their deaths! It hurts! Save me! (well, I'll save you, don't worry.)  
****123flywithme: That is the most beautiful thing I have ever read... wow. **

**Manuel01: Wat? My brain has just failed me.**

**Thank you thejellyfish99 for all of your reviews!**

**THIS CHAPTER TAKES PLACE NEAR THE END OF TASM2/More info on how they ended up in the streets in the first place!**

* * *

_**A FEW MONTHS AFTERWARD**_

Elli was chatting with Tony, trying to understand the science behind his suit as he explained. Steve listened in a bit, but found himself very confused. Thor was digging through the cupboards for something to eat, while Bruce watched Elli and Steve listen to Tony with an amused expression on his face Natasha and Clint were somewhere about the tower, speaking about when the best time to let the cat out of the bag was, since they hadn't at Peter's graduation at midtown. Peter, however; was fighting crime on his own since Elli had opted out that night. It was only when Clint and Natasha looked outside the floor to ceiling windows, they realized something was wrong. All of the lights were off, which was curious; since the city always had at least a third of it's lights on. And the power plant over the river was humming with flickering slightly.

Clint tromped down the stairs, Natasha in tow, and pointed this out to the rest of the group, who hadn't noticed since the tower had it's own energy producer; the arc reactor.

"What about Peter?" Steve asked nervously as he shared Elli's concern for her older brother.  
"We're going to go find out. Elli, suit up." Clint said. When Tony and Steve started to stand, Natasha held a hand out to stop them.  
"I think we can handle a little power outage. We're just going to check on Peter." She said.

Steve and Tony sat down reluctantly; and Tony continued speaking as if it was no big deal. The three quickly got ready, Clint grabbing his bow and pulling on his bulletproof vest while Natasha holstered her shotguns in her kavalar catsuit, leaving Elli to pull of her shirt and pull on her mask. Clint and Natasha ran quickly down the street since the bridge wasn't so far away, letting Elli web-swing ahead through the unnervingly silent concrete jungle. She worried about Peter, having her be the only one he told about the Electro character he had fought in Times Square; even though everyone in the tower found out when it came on the news. He had also told her his troubles with Harry, a childhood friend of his. Elli personally hadn't liked Harry for his sometimes outrageous attitude towards things. She swung over the bridge, but stopped upon hearing someone call her name. At least her costume's name.

"Spider-woman!" A police called with a beckoning hand.  
She sighed and swung down to the police officer.  
"I just want to warn you." He said. This took her off guard, since people usually let the two Spiders figure things out themselves. "Electro is out, I think Spidey subdued him, but it looked rough over there. A few people saw him heading towards the clock tower. Be careful."  
Spider-woman nodded a quick thanks before taking to the air again, heading to the clock tower the police had mentioned. She stopped on the outside momentarily, eyeing the broken glass roof with concern and displeasure as she heard a quiet metallic crash inside.

She peered over the edge to spot an uncounsous, but very ugly Harry Osborn, laying face down on the catwalk of the clock. Her brother's webbing plastered the walls and covered the entrance slightly, which made her heart beat a bit faster. She could see a large amount of the gears missing from the complicated clockwork, and she could see the hands moving wildly in circles from the enlarged shadows they cast inside. A strange sting ray shaped object was cast to the side, matching the color that was donned on Harry's armor. She took a deep breath before crawling through the short notice web and towards the lower level of catwalk. She peered around, not making a noise just in case. She saw a bit of the fabric of her brother's suit between two gears that had managed to stay put, as well as some web hanging of another. Spider-woman's heart leapt into her throat as she peered over the edge. But the sight she saw was much different then the expected lone costume laying or hanging limply.

Instead, Peter - mask cast to the side - was trying to urge an answer out of Gwen's body. Elli took off her own mask as tears threatened to creep into her eyes, unused to seeing her older sibling so distraught before.

"Stay with me, stay with me." He could hear him utter halfheartedly as sobs started to echo through the silent clock tower.

Her mind flashed back to when she had last seen him anywhere near this devastation.

* * *

_The two schoolchildren walked slowly down the sidewalk to their neighborhood, making a turn. They had opted not to take the bus today, since they had been sick of being pushed around by all of the other kids that had made fun of them. Elli was loosely holding her small red backpack, which held a half eaten lunch and some change for emergencies, as well as her tennis shoes. Inside was her second grade homework. Peter, in fourth grade, was also loosely holding his messenger bag, which was a mess of old lunch and homework inside. A small pair of glasses perched on his nose, though the lenses were cracked from being bullied earlier that day._

_They made another swift turn and their ears caught the sound of cries of fear as they entered their neighborhood street. Even from the other end of the road the two could smell the smoke. They glanced at each other and took off running. Elli stopped abruptly as she saw the burnt cinders that had once been their home. Ashes floated down like snow, all that was left standing was a pillar of the porch, now scorched black from whatever had caused the house to be reduced to this. Peter picked his way through the rubble as neighbors came out of their once holed up houses. Peter picked up a shattered picture frame, the picture inside now reduced to white ash. _

_Suddenly an unfamiliar man with scales on his face shouted at them, and then glanced at each other again before running away. They could hardly hear him curse as he drew out a small handgun and started firing. He missed every time as they tried to escape. They dashed into a nearby alley, loosing him, and slowly made their way to the other side over a chain link fence. They kept running away from the burnt remains of their house and stopped, breathing heavily in another alley, this time a dead end. And Peter started to cry. Elli was crying as well, and he was trying to comfort her, but they were both unsure of what exactly had just happened. They had nowhere to go. Aunt May and Uncle Ben had taken that day off too. _

_"What are we gonna do now?" Elli asked with a sniff.  
"I don't know." Peter answered, trying to look brave._

* * *

"Stay with me' stay with me. Stay with me." He tried again, sobbing into her hair.

Elli now clung to the wall, and was creeping down. Although she was making a lot of noise, Peter was totally oblivious to her crawled down completely and put a hand on his shoulder, and he only looked up a second before starting to cry again.

Suddenly they heard the nearby door break down as Clint barged in, lowering his once notched arrow as he spotted the two siblings. Natasha followed him, and stopped nearby the entrance. She had a hand over her mouth and her eyes started to water a bit at the sound of Peter's hopeless wails. Elli hugged, him trying desperately to hold some comfort between the two. Clint stepped forward and sat next to him, trying to say something; but it was drowned in the only sound that could be heard in the tower. Natasha soon joined Clint, but instead put a hand on Peter's other shoulder, swatting away the loose strand of web that still hung from the high above clockwork. It took a while for him to calm down, realizing he had company. His doe brown eyes shone wet, as he stared at each of their faces. Gwen was still in his arms too.

Natasha and Clint looked at each other, and a sorrowful smile crossed each of their faces. Clint ushered for Peter to stand up, and he gently set Gwen on the floor, oblivious to the small group of bystanders and police that were now peeking through the doorway in shock. Elli held him in embrace, while Natasha took the two in her arms, a motherly gleam in her sad eyes. Clint joined in the group hug as well.

Natasha took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak. "We want you to be part of our family."

Those nine little words made Elli and Peter smile and cry more.

"Yes." Peter said quietly, eyes still teary.  
"A thousand times yes." Elli finished.

And they stood their, all hugging in a deep embrace. They where family now.


End file.
